Car interior snack tray



My 7, 1959 E. M. BITTNER 2,893,802

' CAR INTERIOR SNACKTRAY Filed Oct. :50, 1958 l5 INVENTOR.

Ina/er f7. BITTNER.

United States A? This invention relates generally to a tray adapted to be detachably associated with a support and in particular to a curb service tray or car interior snack tray.

In providing trays for curb service to automobiles or for use as car interior snack trays it is desirable to equip the tray with support members which rigidly hold the tray in place adjacent the lower margin of an auto window opening and which can provide the proper support on autos having variously dimensioned window trim. It is further desirable that the support members be capable of being folded or collapsed against the underside of the tray when not in use, thereby permitting the trays to be stacked or, in the case of a single tray, to be conveniently stored.

It is the primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a curb service tray structure having a supporting structure which, when extended, provides a rigid support for the tray and, when collapsed or folded, permits the tray to be stacked.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a curb service tray in which the positional relation of certain of the components of the support structure can be adjustably altered so that the tray can be accommodated on autos having variously dimensioned window trim.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a curb service tray having a supporting structure which is of rugged construction and having, therefore, a relatively long service life.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

atent ,O

, 2,893,802 Patented J uly 7, 1959 vided with an axial slot 26 (Fig. 4) through which extends an adjusting screw 27. The adjusting screw further extends through the space between the flanges 23 and has threaded on its inner end a clamping nut 28.

- It may thus be seen that by loosening screw 27 and shifting the element 19 with relation to the element 18,

within the limits defined by the slot 26, the overall length of the slide assembly may be varied.

As may best be seen in Fig. 1, the free end of the element 19 is provided with a downwardly formed portion 29 which is adapted to hook over the window ledge ture is in folded position.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a tray embodying the present invention shown installed on the interior side of an automobile door.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the tray shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the tray shown with its supporting structure in folded or collapsed position.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the tray shown with its supporting structure in collapsed or folded position.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown at 10 a gen erally rectangular tray having upturned marginal edges and provided on its lower face with a supporting structure. As may best be seen in Fig. 4, the supporting structure includes support elements 11 which are pivotally mounted on the under face of the tray by means of brackets 12 which are spaced an equal distance on opposite sides of the axial center line of the tray. The elements 11 are formed so as to converge toward the axial center line of the tray, the free ends of the elements being reversely bent to provide portions extending parallel to the axis of pivotal support of the elements. These portions of the elements accommodate rubber sleeves or bushings 13.

The supporting structure further includes a U-shaped support member having legs 16 and a base 16a. The free ends of the legs are apertured at 15 and are received upon the ends of the sidewardly-extending portions of the elements 11. A pivotal connection is thus provided between the elements 11 and the legs 16 of the support member.

The base 16a of the support member is pivotally attached, by means of a bracket 17,.to the slide assembly. The 'slide assembly includes an elongated element 18 and provided by the conventional felt seal 31 and the window trim 32 of a conventional auto door, the window glass of the auto door being indicated at 33, the exterior felt seal at 34 and the exterior door panel at 36.

With the supporting structure in its folded or collapsed position of Figs. 3 and 4, it will be apparent that the legs 16 of the support member and the support elements 11 will be disposed adjacent the under face of the tray permit stacking of the trays when the supporting struc- It will be understood that the tray and the pads 37 might also be of unitary construction, that is, formed by a single molding operation.

To install the tray upon an auto door, the legs 16 of the support member are moved downwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 1. This movement of the support member and of the support elements 11 moves the slide assembly, including elements 18 and 19, rightwardly, as viewed in Fig. 4, within the guides 21. The downwardly formed portion 29 of the element 19 is thereby extended beyond the margin of the tray and may be dropped into its position with relation to the auto door illustrated in Fig. 1. The juncture elements 11 and the legs 16 will then contact the interior trim panel of the auto door with the sleeves 13 preventing marring or scratching of the panel. When installed, as shown in Fig. 1, the disposition of elements 11 and legs 16 is such as to rigidly support the tray. Adjustment of the support structure position in conjunction with adjustment of the degree of overlap of elements 18 and 19 serves to level the tray lengthwise in a horizontal plane.

Adjustment of the degree of overlap of the elements.

18 and 19 by means of the adjusting screw 27 also permits the amount of extension of the element 19 beyond the tray to be varied so that the tray may be accommodated on door structures having variously sized window trim. It should be noted that the slide assembly supports the tray at a single point on the auto Window trim, establishing of the tray in a horizontal plane acnoss its width is thus made possible independently of the longitudinal contour of the auto window trim. The supporting elements 11 and the supporting member providing the legs 16 may be formed of such material as aluminum tubing. The forming of the elements 18 and 19 of the slide assembly may be accomplished by a simple stamping operation. The supporting structure, while rugged and not easily damaged, may be economically fabricated and assembled.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description,

they are to be considered as illustrative and not restric-z tive in character, as other modifications may readily 3 i suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is: V

l. A curb service tray having a supporting structure adapted to detachably connect the tray to an automobile window ledge, said supporting structure including two'support "elements pivotally mounted on the under face of the tray at positionsequally spaced from the axial center line of the tray, said support elements bcing-pivotall'y movable in planes normal to the plane of the-tray and being formed so asto'converge toward the axial center line or the tray, the free ends of said elements being reversely 'be'nt'to provide portions extending parallel to the axis of pivotal support of said elements, rubber sleeves carried by said portions and adapted to engage the auto doorsurface when the tray-is installed, a u shaped support member'having the extremities of its legs pivotally attached to said extending portionsja slide assembly sup"- potted on the under faced the tray and adapted to be slidably movable along theaxial center line of the tray, means pivotally connecting the base of said U-shaped member to said slide assembly, said slide assembly comprisingoverlappingelongated elements, the end of one of said elements being formed to extend away from the plane of the tray and thereby being adapted to engage ana'uto window ledge, an axial slot in said one element and a clamping screw extending through said slot and through an aperture in said other element to permit adjustable variation in the amount of overlap of said elements, movement of the legs of said U-shaped element downwardly and away from said tray serving to position the extending end of said one overlapping element beyond the margin of the tray and in auto window ledge engaging position, the extending portions of said support elements being thereby positioned for supporting engagement with an auto door surface.

2. A service tray having a supporting structure adapted to detachably connect the tray to an automobile window ledge, said supporting structure including two support elements pivotally mounted on the under face of the tray at positions equally spaced from the axial center line of the tray, said support elements being pivotally movable in planes normal to the plane of the tray, the free ends of said elements being reversely bent to provide portions extending parallel to the axis of pivotal support of said elements, sleeves carried by said portions and adapted to engage the auto door surface when the tray is installed, a U-shaped support member having the extremities of its legs pivotally attached to said extending portions, a slide assembly supported on the under face of the tray and adapted to be slidably movable along the axial center line of the tray, means pivotally connecting the base of said U-shaped member to said slide assembly, said slide assembly comprising overlapping elongated elements, the end of one of said elements having a downwardly hooked configuration and thereby being adapted to engage an auto window ledge, means for adjustably varying the amount of overlap of said elements, movement of the legs of said U-shaped element downwardly and away from said tray serving to position the hooked end of said one overlapping element beyond the margin of the tray and in auto window ledge engaging position, the extending portions of said support elements being thereby positioned for supporting engagement with'an auto door surface.

3. A service tray having a supporting structure adapted to detachably connect the tray to an automobile window ledge, said supporting structure including two support elements pivotally mounted on the under face of the tray, said support elements being pivotally movable in planes normal to the plane of the tray, a U-shaped support member having the extremities of its legs pivotally attached to the free ends of said support elements, a slide assembly supported on the under face of the'tray and adapted to be slidably movable therealong, means 4 pivotally connecting the base of said U-shaped member to said slide assembly, said slide assembly comprising overlapping elongated elements, the end of one of said elements having a downwardly hooked configuration and thereby being adapted to engage an auto window ledge, means for adjustably varying the amount of overlap of said elements, movement of the legs of said U-shaped element downwardly and away from said tray serving to position the hooked end of said one overlappi'ngelement beyond the margin of the tray'and in auto window ledge engaging position, the junctions of said support elements and the legs of said support member being thereby positfonedfor supporting engagement with an auto door surface.

4; A service tray'having a supporting structure adapted to detachably connect the tray to a ledge, said supporting structure including. two support elements pivotally mountedonthe under face of the tray, said support elements beingpivotally movable in planes normal to the plane of the tray, a U-shaped support member having the extremities'of its legs pivotally attached to' the free ends of sai'd'support elements, aslide assembly supported on the under face of the tray and adapted to be sl'idably movable therealong, means pivotally connecting the base of 'said U-shaped member to said slide assembly, said slide assembly comprising overlapping elongated elements, the end of one of said elements being formed to extend away from the plane of the tray and thereby being adapted to engage a ledge, an axial slot in said one element and a c'lampingserew extending through said slot and through an aperture in said other element to permit adjustable variation in the amount of overlap of said elements, movement of the legs of said 'U-shaped element downwardly and away from said tray serving-to position the extending end of said overlapping element beyond the margin of-the'tray and in ledge engagingposition, the junctions of said support elements and the legs of'said support member being thereby'positionedfor support of said tray, the extending end of said overlapping element and the junctions of said support elements and the legs of said support member thereby providing a three-point support for said tray.

5. A service tray having a supporting structure adapted to detachably connect the tray to a ledge, said supporting structureincludin-g a support element piv'otally mounted on the under face of the tray, said support elementbeing pivotally movable in a plane normal to the pl ane' ofihe tray, an elongated support member having one of its ends pivotally attached to the free end'of said support element, a slide assembly supported on the under face of the tray and adapted to'b'e slidably movable therealong, means pivotally connecting the other end of said support member to said slide assembly, said slide assembly comprising. overlapping elongated elements, the end of one of said elements having a downwardly hooked'con figuration'an'd'thereby being adapted to engages ledge, means for ad'justably varying the amount of overlapof said elements, movement of said support element 'dowrn wardly and away'frorn said tray serving to positionthe hooked end of said one overlapping element-beyond the margin of the tray and in ledgeen'gagi'ng position, the junction of said support-clement and said support member being thereby positioned for support orsaid tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,232,874 Whealen July 10',- 1917 1,383,324 Martell r t July 5, 192i 1,743,406 Stone ..r a. Ian. 14, 1930 2,031,287 Swanson "Han Feb. 18, 1936 2,239,225 Gordon Apr. 22, 1-941 2,556,724 Huhsch .d June 12, 1951 r I FUREIGN PATENTS 162,351 Feb. 27, 195} 

